What about now?
by Avlon Princess
Summary: Seven years after Rachel left she returns to Lima to open her dance studio. Sequel to Maybe now is not our time.
1. Chapter 1

**Here is the sequel to "Maybe now is not our time" I seriously hope you guys like it.**

**It has been seven years since Rachel left for New York and a lot has changed. Don't be mad at me for letting Rachel have a child this will be the third story where she has a child and it's only my fifth I'm beginning to think I can't write if she doesn't have kids.**

**Also I'm not going to make her vegan I don't have anything against it but I don't know much about it.**

**I don't own glee.**

Chapter 1

**New York**

"Knock, knock" Rachel heard a manly voice say behind her. She smiled. "How is my favorite girl doing?" he wrapped his arms around her lifting her up a spinning her around.

"Daddy put momma down." She heard her three year old son pout at his father.

"Okay." He put Rachel down and walked over to his son. "But that means the tickle monster wants to come out and play." He started tickling his three year old son who started laughing hysterically.

"Sam please don't get him all excited he needs to be in bed in five minutes." Rachel said laughing at the sight of her son pouting.

"Aww ma." Rafe whined and pushed out his bottom lip.

"Yeah aww ma." Sam agreed with his son and turned teasingly to Rachel.

"Don't 'aww ma' me mister. You have to get to bed if you want to go to aunt Mercedes tomorrow." She watched as her son practically ran out the room to his bed. "Brush your teeth first."

Raphael Samuel Evans loves going to Mercedes because she always spoils him and at the moment he is on punishment from his mother because he put chocolate sauce in Mrs. White's shoes when she was babysitting him. He never liked her.

"I'll go check on him." Sam told Rachel. "You can make me some coffee I need to talk to you."

She smiled and nodded her head. She moved over to the kitchen and thought about how lucky she was. Her son was happy even though his parents are not together. She and Sam broke up before they knew about Rafe. They came to New York together and one year after living together they decided to try a relationship and it worked for a bit more than two years and just after she graduated from university she has a business and teaching degree. She was going to open that dancing studio but for now she is just teaching ballet to little girls. (She also danced on a professional level before she had Rafe.)

"He is fast asleep." Sam said as he took the cup on the coffee table and went to sit next to Rachel as she watched _Anchors Aweigh _she loved watching that movie.

She paused the movie and turned to Sam throwing her legs over his. "Before you start can I say something first?"

"Sure go ahead."

"So you know how I always wanted to open my very own dance studio but never liked any of the buildings or studios here?"

"Yeah."

"Well my dads called me a month or so back and told me that the dance studio I used to go to was up for sale but I could not afford it so I asked Artie and Mike if they would help me open it."

"Go on."

"Well they got back to me today and they agreed. I know I should have talked to you about this sooner but… I wanted to make sure that they would agree and they did and I really want to go but that would mean moving back to Lima with Rafe and I don't want to take him away from you but this is my dream Sam." She tried to explain to him calmly but her nerves where shot if he said no than she would have to figure something else out she could not take Rafe away from his father.

"Rachel, when are we going?" Sam asked with a smile.

"We?" she asked shocked.

"You need to be happy too, Rachel. I can draw comics anywhere. I found out about the studio when Artie phoned a few days ago and he told me about it. I wanted you to go so I asked for a transfer to Lima and it has been approved." Sam smiled at her. He was also a firefighter a job he was crazy about.

"That was so great of you Sammy." She hugged him not caring when she spilled some coffee on the couch (it is fake leather) so she doesn't need to worry about it. "I love you so much." She squealed out.

"And I love you." He smiled. "I just want you to be happy."

"Thank you Sam."

He just smiled, took the remote from her and pressed play and continued to watch the movie with Rachel's head on his chest her feet beneath her buttocks. She loved spending her nights like this it makes her feel less lonely. That is also how she fell asleep that is how both of them fell asleep so they were really surprised when they woke up the next morning Rachel's head still on Sam's chest and in the tiny space between the two was Rafe. He must have woken up during the night.

"Hey Peanut, time to get up." Rachel said shaking Rafe gently.

"No mamma I wanna sleep some more."

"Baby you can't. I have to get you ready so I can get ready so that I can go to work." Rachel told her son.

"Ray it's okay you go get ready I'll take him to Mercedes." She smiled at him and headed to her bedroom to call Artie, Mike and her fathers.

**Lima**

"Really Puckerman, really?" Santana came bursting into Puck's apartment.

"What are you on about Satan?" Puck asked not looking up from his cereal bowl.

"You asked Nicole to marry you! You asked that freaking bitch to marry you. Are you insane?"

"Santana I love her that is why I asked her to marry me."

"Puckerman there is only one woman that owns your heart and she is all the way in New York." Santana told him daring him to contradict her.

"That is not true Santana." He answered rinsing out his bowl and grabbing two cups of coffee and handing her one.

"So you're telling me that if Berry came striding back in town you would feel nothing?"

"Yes. That is exactly what I'm saying."

"Okay then," Santana said getting up and drinking the coffee she went to sit in his living room and as she puts on the TV she yells back to him "because rumor has it that Berry is coming back to town in a few weeks." As she says this she looks over at him to see him stiffen as soon as she says the last part.

If he was completely honest he would say that after she left Rachel has been on his mind often. He would say that she is the one that got away but he would not admit that to Santana.

"I'm taking that this is news to you." Santana said as she finished off her coffee.

"I did not know that she was going to come back." Puck confirmed.

"Why not you two where joined at the hip."

"Well I… I took her virginity and we decided to stay friends after that." He told Santana rinsing out their cups.

"That was shit stupid you could have asked her to marry you instead Nicole."

"Santana," he sighed "could you just stop with the Nicole bashing?" He has had to listen to Santana talking shit about Nicole since they started dating a year ago.

"Whatever, daddies Berry told me that she will be here next week. She bought a house and her stuff will arrive during this week. They are so excited about their baby coming back."

"I can imagine. I would get that excited if Beth came back and I get to see her once week."

"Look at it this way at least Nicole will be able to give you little babies. They won't be as cute as Puckleberry babies would be but at least they will be tiny badasses."

"Damn straight." And then he started to get upset. "What is up with you and wanting me to be with Berry?"

"Blame it on your mother." He looked at her and raised a brow in question. She just shrugged. "I have been spending a lot of time with your mom and all the stories she told me about you two, I have to say Berry is the only person that I think is good enough for you." She walked over to him. "And as someone that is your sister and that is what I will be even though we are not blood related I have the right to say this, Rachel is the only one that I want you to be with."

"You two where friends for less than a month."

"I got to know her through your mother and I have to say I like her."

**A week later.**

Puck took his fiancé to the park for a romantic picnic. They had spend the day shopping and doing some wedding talk. Nicole loved that Puck was being so romantic and thoughtful so she decided to give him a little gift. They started making out.

Rachel and Sam took Rafe out to the park having arrived yesterday her fathers made sure that her house was ready and waiting for her. Sam would be staying with them until he found a place of his own that would be close enough to Rafe so he wouldn't have to be too far if Rachel needed him. They also explained it that way to Rafe so that he knows that his parents will not be getting back together.

"Daddy I wanna be a fireman just like you." Rafe looked up at his father with a big smile on his face.

"That's great big guy." Sam said to his son this little boy was the best thing that could ever happen to him and he was so glad that Rachel allowed him to be in his son's life.

"Can we put water in my water gun?" He asked giving his mom the 'puss in boots' stare.

"Sure you can."

"Yay!" he ran away pulling his father with him. Rachel smiled at the sight of her son she was so happy that he did have is father in his life. She looked around the park and saw families playing and also a couple making out they weren't too far away from where Rachel chose for them to eat. She started to set up the things for their picnic so that they could eat as soon as the boys returned. She was still setting up when Sam and Rafe came back.

"I'm going to play police man now." He said as he held the gun up.

"Ok sweetie just stay where mommy and daddy can see you." Rachel told her son.

She laughed as he ran around pointing his water gun at invisible people. She and Sam started talking about when he would start looking for a place when they heard Rafe talking out loud.

"I'm going to be a fireman like my daddy but first I gotta put the bad guys in jail! Don't worry lady I will safe you from the man trying to eat your face. Bam bam bam phew phew." He fired his water gun at the people Rachel saw making out earlier.

"Arrggg." They heard the lady scream.

"What the hell kid?" The guy said aloud wiping the water from his face his shirt also wet.

"Hands up keep 'em where I can see 'em!" Rafe demanded.

"Look kid…" he started.

"The name is Rafe. Officer Rafe to you mister." Rafe corrected him.

"Okay 'Officer Rafe' where are your parents?"

"I work alone I don't need parents or partners."

"Rafe! How many times do I have to tell you to not shoot at people who do not know you are playing a game with them?" Sam told his son in a strict voice.

"Your son is rude you need to teach him manners." Nicole said from her spot standing next to Puck.

"He is a little boy." Sam answered.

"A little boy who goes around spraying people with water!"

"I don't see that you're wet!" Sam replied back.

"Daddy must I arrest her too?" Rafe asked looking up at his father.

"No just go to your mother."

Puck looked at Sam not wanting to talk just yet. He was shocked at the fact that Evans is a father last he had heard Evans was living it up in New York.

"Hello Evans." Puck said.

"Puckerman! How are you dude?"

"I'm good I see you have a kid."

"I do."

"Daddy please I wanna throw her in jail!" Rafe whined.

"I told you to go to your mother." Sam told his son.

"I can't" Rafe answered. Puck smiled at the little boy he seemed like a handful.

"Why not?" Sam asked his brow raised he couldn't believe his son is so stubborn.

"'Cause momma is coming to us." Rafe answered his father. "Momma tell daddy he should let me take this rude lady to jail." Rafe pouted.

"No I will not allow you to do that. You have to apologize to these people." Sam told his son.

"What did he do?" Rachel asked looking at her son and he knew that that look meant he was in trouble.

Puck's smiled dropped from his face when he saw the woman Rafe was referring to.

"You have such a rude son. You really need to teach him manners." Nicole threw her opinion in.

"He sprayed them with his water gun."

"Raphael Samuel Evans! You just got off of punishment do you really want to put on it again?" Rachel asked her son and finally looked up at the people her son "shot". "I am so sorry he is kind of a rebellious force." As she finished saying the sentence she looked up from the woman to the man. Their eyes connected and all that came out of her mouth was…

"Noah?"

**There we go that was the first chapter should go on with the idea that have or should I just drop the story.**

**Rachel had to have someone else's kid because I have one scene in my mind and it required for the child to be someone else's so please please tell me what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

**You guys are seriously awesome I'm glad so many of you liked the story and to those of you that's worried about Sam and Rachel don't be they are just really close because of Rafe.**

**I was thinking of bringing Beth into this fic when I was planning it I'm still not sure how though I have an idea but I'm not sure if I want that to happen. (Shelby ends up in a coma so Rachel has to take care of Beth because Rachel is listed as her next of kin and Rachel and Beth is really close because Shelby and Beth also lived in New York) Give me some ideas and if I really like them I will use it. If there is more than one I like I will find a way to mash them together. While writing I came up with more ideas I'm going to open another poll so you guys can choose what you want to happen. I'm not too big on the idea that Shelby moves here a healthy person because Puck would then spend more time with Shelby instead of Rachel so yeah that really won't help the fic at all and I might be tempted to make Shelby and Puck end up together instead of Puck and Rachel.**

**Early warning for everyone this fic is not going to always be realistic it is fiction after all and all of the shit I got from people telling me that _Fantastic in a _sarcastic_ way _is not realistic, it was not meant to be realistic and this one is not either. If you don't like my writing or whatever happens in the story don't read it. It's as simple as that thank you.**

**As for the rest of you thank you for reading I hope I can life up to expectations. So far all the reviews are good so once again thank you and you guys are AWESOME. :D**

**Let's just pretend that somewhere between _Maybe now is not our time _and this fic Artie got treatment and is able to walk and dance. Personally I think it is just wrong to hide that man's talent like that he is an awesome dancer.**

**I don't own Glee.**

Chapter 2

"Noah?" How can he be the first person she sees on her first day in Lima? Why did it have to be him? She's not prepared for this and to make things worst the she runs into him while he is sucking face with another woman. The universe must be mad at her or something.

"Rachel how are you?" the tone he uses hurts her a little bit because when they were younger he only sounded that way when he was hurt.

She forces a polite smile. "I am quite well, thank you." There is an awkward silence. "How are you?"

"I'm great. I'm engaged now. This is my fiancée Nicole." He turns to her smiles and she gives him a passionate kiss.

Rachel looks at Sam with a sad smile and Sam gives her a sympathetic one. Puck was one of the reasons Rachel and Sam didn't work out. Rachel still had feelings for Puck and there was someone that Sam couldn't get out of his mind either.

"Eeeewwwww gross." Rafe said looking at the two adults kissing. "Momma tell 'em to stop." Rafe looked up at his mother. "Daddy stop 'em 'fore their faces breaks."

There was no one else that could make Rachel feel better the way Rafe does. She starts laughing at his comment. "Sweetie, who told you that?"

"Jake said if two growed ups kiss really really long then their faces will break." Rafe said seriously "Momma their faces gonna break!" he shouts at his mother.

"Ok guys please stop kissing you are freaking my son out." Rachel told the couple in front of her.

They stopped kissing and looked at her. Nicole gave Rafe an ugly look as if he threw up on her shoes or something like that.

"Can I introduce you to my son now?" Rachel asked. Puck nodded at her. "This is my son Raphael but we just call him Rafe. And his dad Sam." The last bit Rachel said mostly to Nicole.

"My momma and daddy call me Raphael when I'm in a little trouble and Raphael Samuel Evans when I'm in a lot of trouble." Rafe said as he looked up at Puck. "I'm only good when momma calls me Raphael Samuel Evans. I can still be a little bad when she calls me Raphael." Rafe said in an innocent child like way.

"Hello Rafe. I am Puck and this is my fiancée Nicole." Puck smiled at the little boy.

"Momma called you Noah." He said not believing that this man's name is Puck.

"That's my real name but people call me Puck only some people call me Noah." Puck answered him.

"Is that like when momma calls me Raphael when I'm in trouble?"

"Sorta like that." Puck answers the boy.

"Can I call you Noah?" Rafe asked with big eyes. They reminded him of Rachel so he couldn't say no.

"Sure kid. You can call me Noah." Puck said and watched as the little boy smiled at him. It reminded him of Rachel's smile when she received good news. The kid does have Sam's mouth but he has Rachel's smile.

"I like you, Noah. Will you be my friend?" Rafe asked with his big eyes.

"Sure kid." He likes the little boy to. It must be because the kid reminds him of Rachel. He was completely surprised when the kid embraced his legs looked up at him and smiled.

"Thank you, Noah."

Rachel and Sam looked at their son and smiled glad that he was adjusting to their new lives here. Sam put one of his arms around Rachel to pull her closer. "Looks like he would be a good step-dad to Rafe." He whispered in her ear.

"Don't start Sam he is taken." Rachel told him.

The moment between Puck and Rafe was interrupted when Nicole's cell phone started ringing. She walked to one side to get it.

"So are you an Evans now?" Puck asked Rachel. "I don't see a ring."

"That's because there never was. I'm still a Berry. Sam and I are raising Rafe together we are not together as a couple." Rachel told him honestly and for some reason he felt relieved that she is not in a relationship with Evans. "How are the others?" she asked wanting to get away from the subject she felt like she would tell him at any moment that she is single because her feelings for him grew stronger that night after they snuck away from prom and broke into the dance studio.

"Well Santana is a lawyer she is quite busy she just opened her own firm." He told her proud of his best friend.

"That is so great. Amazing." Rachel said really happy for Santana.

"Yeah it is. Brittany is a little freaked out because she is struggling to find a job." He told her sadly.

"Really?" Rachel asked sadly.

"Yeah. Finn is in the army now. He says it's the only thing he has done right."

"Baby. That was my agent he says that I have to attend an emergency shoot and I have to go now or they are going to give it to someone else." Nicole says coming up to him. "See you tonight." She gave him a long kiss looking at Rachel through her one eye like she is marking her territory.

"Urg I forgot that I have to see the real estate agent to talk about a place." Sam lied as soon as he saw Nicole's car disappear. "Would you mind taking Rachel and Rafe home Puck. I have to go to the fire department as soon as I am done with the agent."

"Sure." Puck answers wanting to spend sometime with Rachel.

Sam bends down to give Rafe a hug. "Be nice ok big guy." He gives his son a kiss on the forehead. He walks over to Rachel gives her a hug "You however don't have to be." He tells Rachel suggestively. Making her blush. "Take what belongs to you."

"He doesn't belong to me." She pulled away from him.

"Momma, can we eat now? I'm hungry." Rafe asked his mother.

She looked over to where they had set up only to discover that someone dog had eaten all of their food. "Great."

"Looks like someone else wanted your food badly." Puck said with a smirk.

"Momma…"

"I know munchkin. I will give you something at home." Rachel told her son.

"But I'm hungry now." Rafe whined at looking at his mother with big eyes. She looked at those eyes and had the sudden urge to give him what he wanted.

"Raphael I know you are hungry but you have to be patient ok boy." She told him wanting to make him happy.

"Are we still going to the mall?" Rafe asked his mother. "You promised that you would buy me new clothes and shoes and toys today."

"I thought you where hungry." Rachel told her son.

"I want toys too momma."

"Rachel I can take you to the mall." Puck told her. He turned to look at Rafe. "And I will buy my new buddy over here a pizza or a burger." He looked up at Rachel. "And his mom anything she wants."

"Noah we can't possibly…"

"Rachel please let me buy you lunch to welcome you back to Lima." Puck said.

"Yeah Momma, please." Rafe looked at his mother.

Rachel looked at her son and back up at Puck. She got lost in his eyes she closed her eyes and took a breath. "Fine. Only if you are buying."

He smiled at her and her heart skipped a beat. Calm down Rachel he is taken and you have a son..

"My car is over there." He points towards his car and Rafe starts running to it.

"So you two didn't come here together?" Rachel asked surprised. When she and Noah came to the park they would always take his car.

"Nope. Nicole doesn't like my car. Her taste in cars is more for the show. And my motto for cars have always been as lo-"

"As long as it gets you there fast it's perfect. I remember." She smiled at him. "You were always a reckless driver." She looked over at her son who reached the car and was waiting for them. "Please take my son into consideration and drive safe."

"Don't worry I will." Puck told her and unlocked the car. She helped Rafe in the car and buckled the seatbelt. Then she took her seat next to Puck.

"So you and Evans got busy."

"Really that is how you are bringing up the subject of me and Sam sharing a son?" She asked him. "Sam and I lived together for about a year and we were really close friends and one day we decided to try a relationship because it seemed right. We were able to fool ourselves for two years and a few months. But we broke up a mutual decision because there were things that we could no longer deny. A month or so after we broke up I found out I was expecting my wonderful gift." She smiled and turned to her son who was staring out the window.

"So there is nothing between you and Sam?" Puck asked wanting to sound casual.

"Nothing. Sam and I are just really good friends as I said before. I love him he is my best friend besides Kurt and Blaine. I love him even more for giving me this amazing little boy even if he is a handful at times."

They arrived at the mall and all Rafe wanted to do was run around. Rachel hated when he did that so whenever he pulled away her grip on him tightened. They went to get food at the McDonalds because Rafe wanted a happy meal. Rachel decided that they had to sit close to the play pen so that she could keep an eye on him.

"Why are you so stressed out?" Puck asked when Rachel strained her neck to get another look at her son.

"I took him shopping once." She told him and he waited for more. "He had been screaming 'Dada' so I pointed to where Sam was and when he got there I went back to looking for clothes. Ten minutes later Sam comes up to me without Rafe. Sam thought he was with me I thought he was with Sam. I nearly went insane. I started screaming for Rafe and nobody is helping me at all. The security guard said that he didn't see anything. I swear my world came crashing down."

"How did you find him?"

"He took a detour when he saw my mom. I came out of the shop and there he was sharing an ice cream with Beth while Shelby waited for me to come out of the store. It was the worst day of my life and now he has the habit of hiding behind clothes when we go to the shops. After that day I make him carry around my number as well as Sam's. That was the worst day of my life I never want to experience it again."

"I can only imagine." He said. And then he remembered that she said he was sharing an ice cream with Beth. Rachel saw the change in his mood and knew that he probably wanted to know how Beth is.

"She's happy. Beth, she's happy. She is in a good school. Her grades are great." After a pause Rachel added "She also knows that she was adopted."

"How did she take that info?" Puck asked not knowing how to feel what if his daughter though that he didn't want her?

"At first she was upset." Rachel told him honestly. "She thought that her birth parents didn't want her but I told her how hard it was for you two to give her up and how you only wanted what was best for her and that you guys believed that Shelby would be able to give her the love and attention she deserves."

"She thought I didn't want her." He looked at Rachel hurt and she reached across the table to put her hand on his sending shock waves through their bodies, both ignoring it.

"She understands now. She also knows that you and Quinn love her very much. Quinn met her. Beth doesn't know that Quinn is her mother but she met her."

"Why?" he asked how can Quinn meet their daughter and he not be allowed the privilege? He has the right to meet her just as much as Quinn does.

"Quinn is Rafe's godmother. I never lost contact with her. So at anything Rafe related Quinn and Beth would be there." She could see that his anger is rising. "She asked me if her biological parents would want to meet her one day if she's ready. I told her yes. I knew that you would want to meet her and be something in her life even if it is not her father but someone that she goes to for help when she needs it." She told him and he softens a bit. "She is a very smart girl. She's very mature for a nine year old."

"How does she look?" he asked wanting to hear more about his daughter.

Rachel smiled. "You know me and Shelby? How we look so much like each other?"

"Yeah."

"Imagine Quinn as a nine year old with your eyes."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Telling me about my daughter."

"It's impossible to shut up about her." She smiled at him and he smiled back. Grateful that she told him about his little girl, she may not be his legally but in his heart she will always be his. She pulled her hand from his but he turned his hand palm facing up and gripped hers and the shock wave increase to a jolt of electricity running through both their bodies. The shock of the effect of their hands was too strong to ignore and Puck has no idea when it happened but suddenly her was next to Rachel. There was a tiny strand of hair that escaped from her ponytail during the course of their impromptu lunch. With his free hand he wiped from her face slowly and with every millimeter the strand moves the chemistry grows stronger and it was like a magnetic force pulled them to each other. Slowly his face inched closer to hers and hers closers to his. But the universe did not seem to want their kiss to happen…

"Momma can we go buy my toy now?" Rafe asked unaware of what was just about to happen between his mom and the man she has been in love with since their teen years.

Rachel cleared her throat and smiled totally uncomfortable she was about to kiss a man who was in a committed relationship. "Sure baby." Ignoring the look Puck was giving her.

They ignored what happened as they were walking through the toy store. Rafe pointing at every Superman and Spiderman toy he saw. "I want that one. It's just like the one daddy drives." It was a red fire engine he idolizes his dad.

"Sure baby." Rachel smiled at him and took the toy.

Rachel felt awkward the entire car ride home she had told Puck where she lived and was too preoccupied by what happened in McDonalds that she didn't even see that he wasn't heading to her house. She only realized this when he stopped in front of the house she used to consider her second home.

"Noah, what are we doing here?" she asked him.

"Ma would kill me if she knew you were here and I didn't tell her about it." He answered her simply.

"Noah, bringing me to your mother and telling her about me are two different things." She said seriously. It's not that she didn't want to see Deborah it was more like she was afraid to see Deborah. The woman was like her mother to her and she never wanted to disappoint the woman and she wasn't sure how she would react to Rafe.

"Rach, my ma is going to love seeing you and she will be crazy about Rafe." Puck told her knowing that she is freaking about his mother's reaction to Rafe.

"How did you…"

"I know you." He answered before she could finish her question.

She finally climbed out of the car and helped Rafe out of his seat. She bends down so that she was at his level. "Rafe, baby, I need you to be on your best behavior ok?" she told her son.

He looked up at his mother and saw that she was worried so he gave her a kiss and hug. "Okay momma. Can I bring my truck?" he already opened it, the box it came in is in pieces in the back of Puck's car.

"Sure baby." She picked up her son and walked to the front door where Puck was waiting for her.

He walked into the house. "Hey crazy." He greeted his mother.

"Noah, is that anyway to greet the woman that raised you for eighteen years of your life, loved you for twenty five and worried about you for twenty five years and nine months?" Deborah asked her son.

"Only a crazy person would ask that question in that way." He told his mother

"I have a surprise for you.

"Put it on the counter."

"I can't it's kind of heavy."

"Noah, what are you… TALKING ABOUT!" she yelled out the last two words as Puck moved out of the way to reveal Rachel Berry with a little boy in her arms. "Rachel!" she hugged the girls that was always like a daughter to her.

"Hello Mrs. Puckerman." Rachel said with a smile.

"Rachel it has always been my dream for you to call me 'Ma' or 'Mom' one day. And Noah marrying that" she paused trying to find a name for Nicole "…that has killed it. So please make an old woman happy and call me one of those two."

"You are insane woman." Puck told his mother and when he said this Rachel went into teenage Rachel mode where she would say things and agree with Deborah just to get him angry.

Rachel smiled at Deborah "I'll go with 'Ma' 'Mom' is for Shelby when I want something from her."

"Who is this beautiful little guy?"

"Ma," Rachel said and Deborah smiled "this is my son, Raphael."

"He is so gorgeous." Deborah smiled at him and Rachel looked at her son proudly she loved when people went on about her baby boy. "And motherhood seems to go well with you."

"You mean you're not disappointed in me?" Rachel asked hopeful.

"No I am happy for you. In fact the only thing that would have made me any happier is if he was Noah's." Deborah said honestly. Rachel's eyes grew bigger at the comment.

"MA!" Noah exclaimed his mother never liked Nicole and the feeling was mutual neither of the two hid or even tried to hide it.

"Maybe then he would leave the Devil in Prada, who if she had her way would never give me beautiful Jewish grandbabies because she doesn't want children," she looked angrily at Puck "and marry you." She turned to Rachel "You are still single correct." Rachel smiled at her uncomfortable and nodded. "See Noah?" she looked back at Puck. "She could give me beautiful grandbabies."

Rafe wiggled out of his mother's arms and walked over to Deborah. He tugged on her pants. She looked at the little boy in front of her. "I got three grandpas but only two grandmas. If you wanna you can be my other grandma." He said to Deborah. "I'm Jewish." He added like it was the selling point.

Deborah smiled at the little boy. "Would you like me to be your grandma?"

"If momma is gonna call you 'Ma' then I wanna call you 'Nana'" he answered.

"Okay sweetie, I would love that."

Rafe smiled at her and started playing with his toy fire engine and Puck joined him.

"You are coming with me to the kitchen." Deborah told Rachel.

They spend hours talking and catching up. When Rachel heard someone call from the living room. "Hey Mrs. P I think your son stole a little boy." Santana said loudly towards the kitchen.

Deborah walked out of the kitchen to the living room where Puck is playing with Rafe. "No it's fine Santana if I had my way years ago that boy would have been my grandson." Deborah never hid the fact that she wanted Puck to end up with Rachel. She has mentioned this many times in front of Nicole and this is the reason Santana immediately knows that it's Rachel's son.

"Wait this is Rach's boy?" Santana asked. Smiling knowingly at Puck. "Is she here?"

"Yup I'm here." Rachel answered coming out of the kitchen. "Hi Santana." Rachel greeted Santana.

"Hi Berry. It is still Berry right?" Santana asked. Rachel nodded. "The kid has some giant lips. Looks like Trouty mouth's lips."

"Sam is his father."

"You are shitting me!" Santana said loudly.

"Santana! Watch your language around my son please."

"I'm sorry." She said remembering that it is not only grown ups in the room. "Rafe come here there's someone I want you to meet." Rafe walked over to his mom. "Rafe this is Santana. Santana this is my baby boy Rafe."

"Momma no!" Rafe scolded his mother.

"What now?"

"She's pretty don't call me 'baby boy'." He turned towards Santana. "Officer Raphael Samuel Evans, not 'baby boy' ma'am" he stuck out his hands to greet her.

She laughed at his reaction the entire room was smiling at this little boy. "Well it is nice to meet you, Officer." She decided that she liked this little boy and whether his mother liked it or not she is going to be this kid's aunt. "You can call me aunty 'Tana." She took his hand.

"Can't I just call you Tana? You're too pretty to be aunty." He asked her and she smiled at him he remembered the old black and white movies his mom makes him watch and mimicking those movies her kisses her hand.

They laugh at how cute the little boy is. "Rach are you sure you and Puckerman didn't hook up around the time this kid was conceived." Santana jokingly.

"What's con-con-consteceive?" Rafe asked looking at his mom curiously.

"I will tell you when you're older." Rachel answered.

Santana dragged Rachel out to the porch so they could have some catch up time.

"Rach, the Officer fell asleep about half an hour ago." Puck said sticking his head out he didn't want her to go home but he wanted to make sure that Rafe sleeps in his own bed so that he won't be sore tomorrow.

"I should get him home." She told Santana. The two exchanged numbers and Puck carried Rafe out to the car. When they got back home Rachel showed Puck Rafe's room and he place the boy on his bed. Rachel tucked him in.

She walked Puck to the door. "Thank you." She said once they were outside. "For today, and for taking me to your mom."

"No problem." They were silent for a while. "Rach, I want us to go back to the way we were before you left."

"I don't think that's possible Noah." She told him.

"Why not?"

"Because, Noah, before I left we were two in love teenagers. That changed. I am a mother whose son will always come first and you are engaged to be married. To a woman none of your friends seems to like but you seem to love. We can go back to being friends but not to the type of friends we were seven years ago."

"Why not? What are you afraid of?"

"I am afraid of what happened today at McDonalds. If Rafe didn't come and stop whatever was about to happen I know I wouldn't have been able to stop it. You are taken Noah and I don't fall in love easily but with you it could happen in ten seconds. Goodnight Noah." She went back into the house and closed the door behind her. "It happened the second my eyes connected with yours." She whispered to the empty house.

**There we go all done. Now that my exams are over and the problems with my internet started I don't know when I will be able to update again let's hope it's soon. I can still check the reviews and stuff on my cell phone so I'll be doing that. I think I should get a phone with office so I can do this all on the phone and not worry about stupid internet connections and only worry about airtime that would be easier. **

**Until next time. Review please. The last reviews made me so happy I had a crap day and when I read them my just went so much better.**

**I will have another poll for you guys. All about Sam and love interest.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Have I told you lately that you are AWESOME? Every time I read your reviews I get so happy and excited I keep telling myself that the next chapter has to be better. **

**I try but somehow the only stories I can write is Puckleberry so you guys don't have to worry about them ending up with other people.**

**In my universe primary school closes at 12:30 for kids in grade 1-3. At 14:00 for grade 4-7. At 14:30 for high school i.e. grade 8-12 (High school over here starts in grade 8 just so you know)**

**Also I see you want Shelby to die but I have other plans for her. She'll have some illness and Rachel will care for her.**

**I don't own Glee.**

Chapter 3

The next morning Rachel awoke to two emerald colored eyes. She pulled back in shock. "You crazy little boy don't wake me up like that." She told her son.

His emerald eyes grew even bigger and she could see that tears are forming in his eyes. "I'm sorry Momma." He said with a little pout.

"No Peanut, I'm sorry." She pulled him into a hug. "Sorry baby you just scared me. Can you forgive me?"

"Uh-huh" he placed a big kiss on her cheek. "I love you Momma."

"I love you too baby boy." She started to tickle him and he started laughing hysterically.

"Hey you two better not be having fun while breakfast is getting cold." They heard Sam yell from the kitchen.

"Let's go before daddy goes crazy." She picked up her son and walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning how was your night last night?" Sam asked Rachel smiling he knew what she had done the night before because while he was making breakfast Rafe had filled him in.

"It was fine. Where's the coffee?" she asked him and he handed her a cup of coffee and placed a plate of pancakes in front of her and helped Rafe sit on a high chair so her could reach the table easier.

Rafe got his height from his dad which Rachel was happy about she really didn't want her son to be as short as she was. As a girl she had to hear enough insults on her height she could only imagine what it would be like for a boy.

"So I know it was a lie when I told you that I was going to see an agent for a place to say when I left you yesterday but I actually did see one there is nothing at this moment but she will keep looking and I won't settle for anything more than three blocks away from here." He looked at the time. "I have to start packing for my trip to Las Vegas. You gotta love comic book conventions." He got up from the table.

Rafe looked at his mother. "Does this mean it's just gonna be you and me?"

"Yes. Just you and I baby." Rachel answered her boy. "We have some unpacking to do." Rachel was so happy her dads had all her furniture and stuff unpacked and most of her kitchen but she still had to unpack the portraits and things to make her house feel like a home.

"Can we go visit nana later?" Rafe asked his mom. He only met Deborah last night but she snuck him some ice cream when his mother wasn't looking so he liked her and she is a very nice lady. She really did feel like his grandma.

"How would you like to spend most of the day with her so I can fix this place up?" She suggested to her son and he nodded enthusiastically.

She reached for her phone and as soon as she had the phone in her hand she heard the doorbell.

"I'll get it." Rafe said jumping from the table.

"Oh no you won't." she stopped him. "I'll get it." She walked over to the door with Rafe trailing behind her. She opened the front door to see Shelby standing there.

"Hello Rachel." Shelby said with an unsure smile. She wasn't sure whether Rachel wanted her there but she needed her daughter.

"Mom what are you doing here?" Rachel asked surprised.

"I wanted to see you." Shelby told her hiding the actual reason as to why she was there. "Can I come in?" Shelby asked her daughter with a smile.

"Sure come in." she stepped aside so that Shelby could come in. When Shelby moved in Rachel looked down to see Beth smiling at her.

"Hey Rachie." Beth said and hugged Rachel.

"Hey Bethie." She returned Beth's hug. "Do you know why mom's here?" She asked knowing that there is more to Shelby being here.

"She said it's because she misses you." Beth answered.

When they went into the house they saw Rafe showing off his new fire truck to his grandma.

"It is great baby." Shelby smiled at her grandson. She pulled Rafe to sit on her lap. "You know you are going to be such a great man one day and all the girls are going to go crazy over you." She pulled him into a hug. "I love you so much. You know that right?"

"I know Grandma, I love you to." He hugged his grandma back.

"Honey how about you show Beth your room?" Rachel asked her son.

"Okay Momma, come on Beth." Rafe said and pulled Beth along with him.

Rachel went out to get the rest of the bags that they left on the porch. She put them next to the doorway.

"So do you want to tell me the truth?" Rachel asked Shelby. She remained silent. "Mom I know there is something wrong with you and I know that you don't want to talk about it but just know that I am here for you when you want to talk ok?"

"Thank you."

Noah Puckerman awoke with a smile on his face. With his eyes still closed he felt a body in his arms and pulled it closer. He nuzzled his nose in her hair and instead of smelling the sweet smell of honey and almonds he smelled flowers he opened his eyes and his smile faded just a little bit and for a moment he wished that he was dreaming and instead of the blonde hair in front of him he wished that it was brown, instead of the body that was his exact length he wished it was shorter, instead of the pale skin he wished it was tan and instead of her name being Nicole he wished it was Rachel. He didn't even care that she had a son by another man all he wanted was for her to be in his arms.

He got up and went to shower. He can't believe that he dreamt of Rachel Berry once again last night. Only this time it was more vivid he saw her clearly their bodies covered in sweat as they surrendered themselves to a passion unknown to them and only experienced once before. The night of their prom. As soon as that thought pop into his head he turned to warm water off completely and just let the cold water run over his body hoping that all thoughts of Rachel would disappear with the warm water. It didn't work.

He came out of the shower to be greeted with a kiss from his fiancée only to notice that her lips weren't quite as full as those of one Rachel Berry. He smiled at her and went to brush his teeth when she slipped into the shower he looked at himself in the mirror.

_**How can Rachel be the only one on his mind when he had this amazingly beautiful woman just ready to be his wife?**_

_**He needs time to figure out how he feels about Rachel and if this is just because of her sudden return that he is having this kinds of feelings.**_

"Puck baby, I have to go to a shoot in Switzerland for a month. Can we postpone the wedding preparations until then?" Nicole asked coming out of the shower. "I hope you don't mind." She went to stand behind him and wrapped her arms around his and kissed his shoulder. "After that I will be all yours for the end of time."

"When are you going?" Puck asked her with a smile this month may be just what he needs.

"I leave today." She answered him.

He turned around hurt that she didn't tell him before today. "Why are you telling me this now?"

"I wanted to tell you yesterday but when I got home you were asleep already I didn't want to wake you." Nicole answered. "Don't be mad at me baby." She said with a little pout trying to be sexy. "How we go to the bedroom so I can give you something to remember me by for the next month." He allowed her to lead him to their bedroom.

Rachel left Rafe with Shelby he changed his mind about going to Deborah because he knew that Shelby would spoil him even though she knows he is on punishment. Rachel was on her way to the dance studio. She was the only one that still needed to sign the papers. She was so excited she hadn't felt like this since the day of Rafe's first everything. The first time he rolled over, the first time he crawled, the first time he stood, his first step and his first word. She walked into the building and walked past the studio where she gave herself over to Noah. Or better known as studio five. She went to the office part of the building and walked into what would be known as her office. There she saw Artie and Mike waiting for her.

"Good morning Miss Berry." Mike said and bowed in front of her jokingly.

"Good morning to you too, Mr. Chang." She curtsied. She walked over to Artie. "Hey Artie." Rachel greeted him with a warm smile. They actually kept in contact since prom she kind of felt guilty for only keeping in contact with Artie when there were people she was actually closer to like Noah.

"Hey Rach, we just need you to sign then these can go to the lawyer's office and this amazing studio will be ours." Artie said with a smile.

"Have you guys given any thought as to what you want the studio to be named?" Rachel asked as she too the papers from Artie. She already had somebody read through it and she had no problems so she signed the papers and gave it to Artie who handed her, her copy and she put it in her bag.

"I wanted to name it _**Funky Moves**_ but Artie doesn't like it." Mike answered her.

"I was thinking we could name it _**ABC Dancing Studios." **_Rachel told the two men in front of her.

"Why _**ABC Dancing Studios**_? What made you think of that?" Artie asked her.

"Abrams Berry Chang" Rachel answered them.

"I like it." Artie said. "It tells the world it belongs to us and only us."

"What is a certain Berry gets married?" Mike asked.

"My surname may change when I get married but I came to you guys with this idea as a Berry and I would like the world to know that I made my dreams come true with the help of friends and not some man who thinks that he will control me for the rest of my life." Rachel said. "Now can we decide on the name?"

"You already gave a name and I think that is the name that we will be using from now on." Mike told her.

"Ok so where is the champagne so we can celebrate?" Artie asked with a smile and Mike poured them each a glass and they drank to the future of their dance studio. Each one of them a professional dancer they had to have better luck than the previous owner had who only taught ballet. They talked about the dances that they wanted to teach. They also decided that they will be open from 13:00 to 19:30 from 09:00 to 12:00 they will be available for bookings if people needed them.

"We need another female dancer or else I have to work throughout the entire day and I don't want that I want to spend some time with my son." Rachel told them.

"Sure we can try to get another dancer in." Artie answered.

"Did you have someone in mind?" Mike asked her.

Rachel just smiled and nodded.

"Seriously?" Santana asked when she and Puck had lunch in her office. "Nicole just left, just like that and she'll be gone for the next month? What are you going to do with your new found freedom?" Santana asked him.

"It's not new found freedom Santana. My fiancée is going away for a month that is it." Puck answered.

"I just don't understand why you are still with her." Santana said taking a bite of her burger. "You know that she will never be able to make you feel as good as you do with a certain Miss Rachel Berry."

"Santana, will you just stop please?" Puck asked. "I really don't like the way you talk about her."

"And when are you going to open your eyes?" Santana asked him. "She can't make you feel better about what Quinn did to you."

"What are you talking about Santana?"

"I'm talking about you! You are relieved that that woman had her tubes tied. That way you know that pregnancy won't bring trouble in your relationship. That way she can't hurt you the way Quinn did. Rachel coming back made you doubt that. You saw how she is with her son and you can see that she allowed Sam to be in his life. You wanted Quinn to do that and you may deny this but you loved Rachel in high school, you loved her while she was in New York and even though she came back with a child the love you felt for her in high school and while she was in New York just came back to you and those feelings are just so much stronger because she is allowing Sam in his son's life."

"How would you know how I feel?" Puck asked her. _**How would she know what I am feeling when I only found this out today.**_

"I know you Puckerman." She answered him.

"San you will never believe what happened to me today!" Brittany said excited as she rushed into Santana's office. "Hello Puck." Brittany greeted him with a big smile on her face.

"Hello Britt." Puck greeted her.

"I'm guessing what happened to you is something good. So what happened?" Santana asked Brittany. They were together for five years after high school. According to Santana the only girl she is lesbian for is Brittany. They have a on again off again relationship

"I received a phone call today." She said her smile growing even bigger.

"Ok what about the call made you so happy Britt?"

"It was Rachie!" no one thought it was possible big smile went even bigger it was starting to scare Puck and Santana. "She asked me if I wanted to come work for her." She said bouncing out of happiness.

"That's great Britt Britt." Santana said getting up to hug her friend. (They are not together now)

"Rach?" Beth knocked on Rachel's bedroom door.

"Come in Bethie." Rachel said. She was sitting on her bed she had many papers spread out in front of her she was trying to work out the dancing schedule. She looked up from her papers to see her little sister standing in her door awkwardly. "Are you okay sweetie?" Rachel asked as soon as she saw the nervousness on Beth's face.

"Remember when I found out that I was adopted? You told me that if I wanted you could call my dad and ask him if he wanted to meet me." Beth told Rachel and moved closer to her sister's bed.

"I remember that. Do you want to meet your father?" Rachel asked her and made place for Beth to sit on her bed.

"Yes Rachel, I do." Beth answered shyly.

"Sweetie, why do you want to meet him?" Rachel asked if Beth wanted to meet Noah that's fine and she doesn't have a problem with that she was just curious as to why Beth would want to meet Noah now.

"Mom told me that Quinn is my biological mother and she is such a nice lady. After finding out that she was my real mother I wanted to know what my real dad is like. So will you call him for me Rachel?" Beth asked. "Mom already knows about this so talked to her while you were at your dance studios."

"Sure, Bethie I'll call him for you." Rachel told her. Beth got up. "Bethie before you go can I have a hug?" Beth nodded and hugged Rachel tightly.

"Thank you Rachel." She whispered in Rachel's ear and tried to hug her tightly.

"Don't worry Momma I'll save you." Rafe said when he saw Beth giving his mother a tight hug. "Here comes the tickle monster."

He started tickling Beth. She let go of his mother and started tickling him.

"Okay you two I think that is enough." Rachel said as she watched her papers fly to the ground from her bed because of her sister and son. Beth and Rafe stopped their tickle war to look at Rachel. Rafe made the face he always does before he does something his mom told him not to do. He moved forward and started tickling his mom.

"Bethie help me." He ordered her and she sprung into action and started tickling her older sister. Rachel started laughing so much and fell back on her bed. She was being attacked by two tickle monsters. The three of them started laughing and Shelby walked past the room to see her two daughters and grandson and she joined in to help the younger two only to be attacked by her grandson.

The four of them collapsed on the bed. They lay there in silence. "I think I want some chocolate chip pancakes. Who is up for breakfast for dinner?" Rachel asked.

Her son and little sister running out of the room to the kitchen. Both are obsessed with pancakes.

"Rachel if anything ever happened to me I want to know that Beth is in good hands." Shelby told Rachel the two of them are still on Rachel's bed. "Rachel, I want you to be Beth's legal guardian if anything ever happened to me."

"Mom where is this coming from?"

"Rachel anything can happen to me at any point in time but if I die or get seriously hurt I want to know that Beth will be taken care of and you are the only one I think can do that."

"Mom I would be happy to take care of Beth, I would rather it be you but if there is no other way I would love to take care of her."

"Thank you Rachel." They heard a loud clang sound.

"We aren't even here for a week and already he wants to break something." Rachel said getting up. "Let's go before a certain little man decides that he wants to try and make the pancakes himself."

Rachel walked over to the kitchen and started making the pancakes. She told Rafe to peel the bananas and Beth to chop them up with a butter knife. She made the pancakes, Rafe and Beth made the fruit salad and Shelby cut open four croissants when someone rang the doorbell Rachel was almost done with the pancakes but Shelby went to get it.

"Rachel it's for you." Shelby said walking into the kitchen and took over from Rachel so that she can go get the door. "I'll prepare Beth. Rafe go with your mommy."

Rachel was confused why would she need to prepare Beth for a guest of Rachel's?

To say that he was shocked to see the one and only Shelby would be an understatement. If Shelby were here that would mean that Beth was too. He contemplated leaving as he stood in her living room and just when he was about to head for the door Rafe ran towards him and hugged his legs.

"We gonna have breakfast for dinner. Do you wanna eat with us?" Rafe asked with his big eyes. He may have gotten the color from his dad but he got the "you-can't-say-no-to-me" look from his mother.

"I don't know buddy. Would your mommy be okay with it?" Rafe looked over at his mother.

"Sweetie I don't know…"

"Please Momma; please he called me "buddy" he has to stay." He gave his mom the "puss in boots" look again.

"What are you doing to my son." She asked Puck with a smile.

"It's ok Rach, if he wants to eat with us that's fine." Shelby said and Beth followed her shyly.

"YAY!" Rafe said pulling Puck to the dining room.

When they all got to the dining room Rafe pulled his chair next to Puck's. "Daddy went to a comic book verention." Rafe said drowning his pancake in syrup.

"Convention, Sweetie and that is enough syrup." Rachel told her son.

Throughout the entire day Rachel kept thinking about what Deborah and Santana said about Puck being Rafe's dad. She couldn't help but wonder herself. She will never be sorry that Sam is Rafe's dad if it wasn't for Sam being his dad then he wouldn't be this amazing little boy he was today and he would be her little Rafe. But she does wish that she would have asked Puck to come with her to New York.

All Puck could think about was the dream he had last night aside from the fact that they shared their bodies in his dream she was his and he was hers. He dreamt of her playing with Rafe and instead of calling Sam dad the little boy called him "Daddy" in the dream he felt so complete. **Damn his mother and Santana! **He watched the boy he dreamt was his and his actual daughter and he saw how close they are.

When they finished eating Shelby offered to bathe Rafe. Beth went to watch some TV while Rachel and Puck cleaned the kitchen. "Why didn't you tell me they were here?" Puck asked in a whisper afraid she might hear him.

"They surprised me this morning." She answered calmly "You don't have to whisper she knows. Shelby told her."

"You mean she knows that I'm her dad?" Puck asked her with a cautious tone he wanted to believe that Beth would want to know him.

"Yeah and she asked me to ask if you wanted to meet her." He looked over to where the wall is separating the kitchen from the living room and all he can think of is that is little girl wanted to meet him in return. "Can I go to her?" he asked unsure of what to do.

Rachel smiled at him. "I think she's waiting for you to go to her."

He walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. "Hey Beth."

"Hello…" she wasn't sure what to call him.

"Noah, you can call me Noah." He offered with a smile.

"Hello Noah."

"May I sit next to you?" He asked her and she nodded.

"Mommy and Rachel said that you named me. Is that true?" Beth asked Puck after a long and awkward silence.

"Yeah, I did?" Puck smiled at her. "Do you like it?" he asked.

"Yes I like it very much. Rachel told me when you picked it you sang it to Quinn." He looked at her unsure of what to say. "When I had nightmares back in New York Rachel would sing it to me. It would always make me feel better." She turned to him he was still looking at her. "Will you sing it to me one day?" She asked him shyly.

He smiled at her. "Whenever you want me to I will."

"Thank you." She smiled at him and there was another pause. "I was afraid to meet you but I know now that Rach was right. You are an amazing person. I have to go get ready for bed too." She got up and walked up the stairs.

He turned his head to see Rachel going outside. He got up and followed her. "Thank you." He said softly. She was standing on her porch looking out over her garden. She leaned on the railing only to feel his arms trap her in her position.

Instead of breaking the cage his arms is creating around her she decides to just enjoy the feel of his warm skin on hers. "What are you thanking me for?" she asked trying to control her fast beating heart.

"For letting Beth know that I wanted her and for singing her to sleep when she needs it." His breath warm on her ear.

She swallowed he cannot be doing this to her. She turns around they are face to face. "Noah what are you doing?" she asks him ignoring the sudden flutter of butterflies in her stomach when their eyes connected.

"I'm thanking you." His voice deep.

"Noah, there is no need for you to thank me. I only told her the truth the things I saw to be true I…"

What ever she was going to say next was cut off because Puck placed his lips on hers. At first she didn't kiss back so she just stood there but when she felt him pull away she kissed back. Her hands moving towards his head messing up his hair, he lets it grow now no more Mohawk. When he felt her do this he pulled her closer one hand in her hair the other on her hip he fisted her shirt wanting more from her.

She pulled away. "I gotta… I need to… I have to go put Rafe to bed. Goodbye Noah." She didn't wait for him to reply she just ran into her house.

He saw the shock in her eyes and her lips swollen from his kiss. Overpowered by the fear of what they just did she ran away from him.

"Fuck!" he walked over to his car there is no way that he will get his head cleared up in just one month no fucking way. His feelings for Rachel are too deep and have been ignored for too long.

**Stop writing stop writing stop writing! I got into the flow of what should happen and I couldn't stop I wasn't planning for the kiss to happen just yet but it did and can't change that.**

**I hope you guys liked it.**

**Sorry if you're confused about Brittany and Santana I wanted to bring Matt in for Santana but I'm not sure about that yet. And maybe I'll use Artie or Mike for Brittany.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey peeps so I basically SUCK for making you wait this long for one chapter. I hope you guys (if there are any) and girls are still reading this story and I am working on another story so I hope you guys enjoy that when I upload.**

**I'm going to be very vague with Shelby's condition. (I'm going to make stuff up so don't go all crazy on me for not being realistic because I don't want to be. I feel guilty when I give fictional characters real things to worry about. I'm just weird that way. So her illness will be a real one it will just not have the actual symptoms or cure linked with the illness.)**

**I am really sorry it took me so long to update writers block is the worst thing to ever exist. I started to feel guilty for taking so long especially when I got the reviews asking me to update soon since when I had ideas about discontinuing this fic but I'm back on track lets hope I can finish this one.**

**I don't own Glee.**

Chapter 4

Rachel was used to feeling many things when she woke up. She felt happy when her little boy's eyes are the first thing she sees. She feels tense when she on the nights when the girls she teaches ballet to have a concert that night. It had been a while, though, since she last felt so much warmth, comfort and so very safe. She knew this feeling of safety came with the arms wrapped around her. She opened her eyes making sure the arms does in fact belong to the one Noah Puckerman and to her delight it was him, in sleeping form next to her. Not wanting the moment to end she closes her eyes and hopes he doesn't wake up soon because if he does this moment of perfection will be over.

**The previous day**

Rachel was sitting on the park bench reading a book. She wasn't even paying attention to what she was reading she didn't even realize that she was reading the same line for the last half hour. The one thing that has her as confused as she is now is the kiss. The kiss that turned her world upside down, the kiss that she had dreamt about the previous night. The kiss that had sent her freefalling back in love with Noah Puckerman. She looked up from her book and smiled at the sight in front of her. Noah was playing with Rafe and Beth. Beth and Rafe teamed up against him and now he is on his back with Rafe sitting on his chest pointing on of his water guns at him and Beth also aiming one at his head.

"Mr. Noah Puckerman you are under arrest. For something I just don't know what yet." Rafe said as he looked at Noah.

Beth looked around her. "He is under arrest for not buying us ice cream." Beth said after she spotted the ice cream van.

"Yes that is why. Good thinking rookie." Rafe said his smile reminding Noah of Rachel when she knew she got what she wanted. He got up and ran towards his mother. "Mama what ice cream do you want? Noah said he was buying."

"I'm fine sweetie thank you."

"Rach you have to let me buy you something."

"I don't know Noah I don't really want anything."

"Come on you'll read that book easier." He said with the smile that she never could resist.

"Fine but only if I can get vanilla topped with chocolate frozen yogurt."

"You still like to mix your vanilla with chocolate?" he asked her smiling at how eagerly she nods her head.

"There is no other way." She says putting her bookmark in her book and closing it.

After they ate and enjoyed their ice creams they decided to take a walk around the park. Beth and Rafe walked ahead. Rachel and Noah walked a little slower than the two kids who are playing with the ducks.

"Rach we need to talk about last night." Noah said not being able to stand the uncomfortable silence between them anymore.

"No we don't Noah. Last night happened because we were caught in the moment. You were touched because you finally got to meet Beth and she is everything you expected her to be and more. You were grateful that she actually understood and was grateful for what you and Quinn did for her."

"Rachel it was not just that. It was the fact that YOU made sure she knew what she means to me. You made sure she knew that I loved her even though I couldn't keep her."

"Noah please I need you to be my friend right now. You have to think about Nicole. We would have been great together but maybe we just missed our time, the time when we were meant to shine." She gave him a sad smile. "Maybe now is your time with Nicole. So can you please just be my friend."

"Rachel how sure are you that now is not our time? Maybe now is our time and you're just too stubborn to see it."

"Noah I can't have this conversation with you right now. Your life is too complicated right now. I can handle complication, don't get me wrong but you have Beth in your life now. You still need to find a way to tell her about Nicole, you need to tell Nicole about Beth. Noah please you need to be my friend. We can figure out what we need to from there."

"Okay." He said reluctantly. "We can be friends." He knew he needed to figures some things out. He knew that he must love Nicole because he wouldn't have asked her to be his wife but what he felt for Rachel had returned to him and he was confused. She was a mother now and her kid was amazing and she also brought his daughter back to him. How would he feel if Beth were to leave again? Would that mean that his feelings for Rachel wouldn't be as strong? Or does he really just love her? He wasn't able to answer all those questions but he knew that he had to find their answers soon or he might be unhappy for the rest of his life.

"We should get going I want to go to the dance studio to meet Brittany and finish the final points on her contract." Rachel said after they walked in silence for a while.

"Sure I can take you if you want and after I dropped you I can take the kids to your mom." He said hoping that she would allow him some extra time with Beth and having Rafe on his side wouldn't be a bad thing either. He likes the kid.

Hearing the hope in his voice she agreed to his request after all she does want him to spend as much time with his daughter as possible. "Sure that's fine." She said and they walked over to his car.

The ride over to the dance studios was silent apart from the fact that Beth and Rafe kept on chatting about how Noah should take them to the park again next week or sooner if he can. He dropped Rachel and drove slowly with Beth and Rafe. He looked at the two children through the review mirror and he knew he wanted a family and he knew he did not want that family with Nicole. He wanted that family with Rachel and he had to break it off with Nicole before it went too far but he didn't want to do it over the phone so he decided that he would wait for Nicole to come back. A month isn't that long after all. He would wait until Nicole came back, break it off with her and get Rachel to see that he loved her. He won't pursue her in the month but he will make her see that he could be a friend to her but also something more when she needed it.

After he left the kids with Shelby he drove over to Santana's. He knew she was going to tell him to screw his month long plan and just claim Rachel but he needed to stick with it. He didn't want to scare her off.

"Satan, open up." He yelled as he knocked on her door.

"What up Puckerman." She said as she opened the door. "You look like… Damn I don't even know what you look like."

"Whatever Satan, I need to talk to you." He pushed passed her.

"Please step into my office." She said as she walked over to her living room. "How can I help you today Mr. Puckerman?"

"I'm in love with Rachel. My freaking feelings for Nicole died over night and my feelings for Rachel suddenly came to life."

"Dude dump Nicole and get with Berry. It's not like you don't like her son or he doesn't like you." She stated in a matter of fact way. "You loved that kid the night you met him and don't lie and say you don't because that child is part Berry and you love all things Berry."

"I promised her I would try to be her friend. So I need a favor from you." He said simply ignoring everything else she said.

"What is it?"

"I need you to have as many girls' nights as you can. Go to places where the guys act like I used to before I settled down."

"How is that going to help you?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"If she sees what jerks some guys are and what a family man I can be then she should fall for me a lot quicker." He said almost as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"That is just stupid. I think she is afraid and you have to keep in mind that she doesn't have just herself to look after anymore. She has to look after that adorable son of hers as well. You need to prove to her that you can stick around. If you did that she would be yours completely." She said the last part very slowly as if he was an infant.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Rachel was in love with you in high school. The feelings she had for you didn't just disappear and the only that is keeping her back is the fact that she doesn't feel safe. By that I mean she wants security not just for herself but for her son as well. You prove you can stick around then she will be all yours."

"Okay. I think your idea works better." He said after a while. "Rachel Berry is the girl of my dreams Santana and I'm going to make her see it."

After Rachel and Brittany sorted out her contract and the fact that her pay won't be that great in the beginning because of the fact that they are so new they won't make a lot of money but they will be the best dance school and everyone will come to them. They also agreed that they are aimed at school children so they will try to mostly accommodate them. They will be open during the day for the vacations but closed during holidays. She decided to stay behind for a while and she changed into her tights and an oversized ballroom t-shirt she took from her previous ballroom partner and her dance partner before she stopped dancing when she found out about Rafe.

She walked into her house and saw her mother talking to Beth seriously. When Shelby looked up and saw Rachel she told Beth and Rafe to give the grown ups some privacy.

"Come on Rafe; let's go play with your truck." Beth said taking Rafe's hand and leading him upstairs.

"Rachel I need to talk to you." Shelby told her daughter seriously. "I need you to see things from my point of view and not fight me on this okay."

"I can't promise that. You are making it seem like this is something I'm going to fight you on until it's over."

"Rachel, you promised me that you will look after Beth if anything ever happened to me. Do you remember that?" Shelby asked her.

"Yes I remember that. I also told you that I would prefer you do it yourself."

"That's just it Rachel, I have a very rare form of skin cancer, the doctor said that I don't have a big chance of survival." She looked at Rachel willing her to say something but she wouldn't she couldn't all she heard is that the woman she only recently got back in her life was about to die.

"Does that mean that there is no cure?" Rachel asked her mother hoping that she would say all she had to do was radio- or chemotherapy and she would be fine,

"There is but the doctor told me that it would have me so weak that on some days I wouldn't be strong enough to get out of bed." She told her daughter. "So I told him that I don't want it. I want my last days for Beth to remember me as someone strong and not so weak that she had to depend on the people around her to help her to the bathroom."

Rachel sat there in silence. Her mother the woman she finally allowed in her life just told her that she wouldn't fight for her life. She wanted to leave her two daughters and grandson without putting up a fight. "You have to try everything you can Shelby. You have to fight this. Please don't up this easily."

"I'm not giving up Rachel. I'm doing this for you and for Beth."

"No you're not! You're not doing this for us. If you were you would fight to add extra years onto your life. You would fight to be a grandmother to my son and my future children and for Beth's future children. You would be fighting to give me advice on my wedding day. You would be fighting to be therefore Beth's first heartbreak, give her advice on what to do. You would fight to be everything for Beth that you never were for me. Don't take my mother from me now that I finally found her." Rachel begged with tears in her eyes. "If this is about money I will find some way to help you even if I have to put my dreams off for a while, but please Shelby you have to fight. I would give everything up if it meant that I could have my mother for a little while longer."

"Rachel I can afford it."

"Then why don't you."

"Because I don't want to be a mess in front of my children. EVER. I don't want you to think any less of me. I want you and Beth to remember me for who I was throughout my life and not this weak person who couldn't do anything for herself."

"That's not the reason Shelby, I know it isn't."

"You really want to know the reason?" Shelby asked deflated. "I'm afraid. What if this treatment gets my hopes up only to tell me that it won't help me at all? I'm afraid that it will give you and Beth hope and then take it away. What if it doesn't work Rachel?"

"What if it does?"

"I have made my choice Rachel." Shelby stated firmly.

"Well it was a stupid one." Rachel replied stubbornly. "I need air." She said and walked out the door.

She didn't know what she was doing. She started walking and that turned into speed walking and before she knew it she was running. She didn't know where she was running but all she knew was that she was running and she let her feet lead the way. She was still in a daze when she stopped in front of an apartment building. She stood there for a few minutes and when she saw a couple open the door to leave she took her chance and slipped into the building. She took the elevator to one of the top floors. When the elevator got to the floor she wanted to be on she walked over to her desired destination.

Noah Puckerman was sitting and watching TV. He has no idea what the hell he's watching all he knows is that his mind keeps on wondering to a kiss her shared with a certain brunette. He heard a knock on the door and put his beer down and got up to get the door. Right there in front of him he saw the woman he had been thinking off since he said goodbye to her. Her hair is all messy and her breathing is a bit heavy. She walked into his apartment without him even saying anything. He closed the door and turned around.

"Rach what's wr-" before he could get what he was about to say she jumped on him pushing him against the door and attached her lips to his. It was passionate and he forgot himself. Her legs wrapped around his hips she pulled him closer and put her arms around his neck. He put his hands on her ass and switched positions so that she was against the wall. She made all the moves. She let go of his neck to pull her t-shirt over her head breaking their kiss only to attach their lips as soon as the t-shirt left her body. He pulled her away from the wall and walked over to his. He fell down first with her still attached to him.

He knew what they were doing was wrong but this was the love of his life. He wanted her to be his more than he wanted her friendship but he knew that both those things were important. So when she pulled away to unbutton his shirt. He took her face in his hands and forced her to look into his eyes.

When their eyes connected she couldn't ignore what she was going through. Before she knew it her tears started rolling and she was crying. Not that type of cry that woman do in the movies where they are still sexy as hell. Oh no she started ugly crying it only got worse when he pulled her into his arms and allowed her to let it all out.

She fell asleep in his arms. He grabbed his phone and called Shelby.

"Hello."

"Hey, Shelby. I have Rachel here with me and I wanted to tell you that she just cried herself to sleep. I don't know the reason though. I just thought I should tell you so you don't worry through the night."

"Thank you, Noah. Please take care of her."

"I will." After he hung up he walked over to Rachel and picked up her shirt. He took her to his bedroom and put her t-shirt on her and took off her tights. He put her in bed and when he walked away he felt her hand grabs his.

"Don't leave me." he wanted to object but then he remembered the tears he spilled and he couldn't say no. So he climbed into bed next to her and pulled her into her arms.

**Present Day**

She snuggled up to him. Loving the fantasy of spending the rest of her life in his arms. She hoped that reality won't attack now and kill her fantasy but she saw that it was till dark so she just closed her eyes and fell asleep letting her fantasy take over again. She just realised that staying friends with Noah Puckerman was going to be harder than she thought it would.

**There we go. That is how I wanted their first kiss in the story to happen.**

**I hope this chapter makes up for not updating in forever. I will have the next chapter up soon. I promise.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Well here's chapter 5**

**I reread the story so far and I realized in one chapter I said Nicole could give Puck babies and in the other I said she had her tubes tied. I think I'll stick to the tubes tied thing because it will be important in later chapters.**

The morning between the two was awkward. First of all Rachel realized that the first person she thought of when she needed comfort was Noah and second she kissed him. Again. What was it with this man's lips? Why was it that when she looked at them she just wanted to attach her lips to his?

"Sorry about last night. I was really upset and I thought, seeing as we are friends again, I could come to you." She said uncomfortably.

"S'fine" he said shrugging it off both drinking their coffee wanting to say something to break the awkwardness. "So…" he said after a long silence. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not right now but can we maybe talk later? I think Rafe really enjoyed yesterday and he thinks of you as another strong male influence in his life. Can you pick him and Beth up later? If you're not busy I need to talk to Shelby and sort some things out. It would be a lot easier if Beth and Rafe were not there. If you can that would be great."

"Sure." He answered without thinking. He was growing really close to Rafe and it was great getting to know Beth. He couldn't help but wonder what's wrong with Rachel. "I would love to spend time with those two. I hope you work out everything you need to."

"Thank you Noah." She stood up and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "You can get them around one today."

"Sure." He said as she walked out of the room and left his apartment.

He had offered her a lift home but she wanted to walk to help her clear her head. She was feeling guilty. Last night she left her son without telling anyone where she was going. She thinks this makes her a bad mother and that is not something that she wants. The day she found out she was pregnant with Rafe she didn't know what to do. Her dancing career just started and she was on her way to being one of the best new dancers. Sam and Rachel had decided to call it quits. Their romantic relationship felt more forced than their friendship so they decided to stay friends.

She found out she was pregnant and she panicked. At first she considered abortion because she found out about Rafe rather quickly. Her mind was filled with things that she still hasn't done. Things that she still wants to do and things a baby will prevent her from doing.

Next her mind went to adoption. Would she be able to let her baby be raised by someone else? How would she feel if her child grew up without knowing who she was? Without knowing who their biological parents are? The first time she went to the doctor she was still on the fence. All she knew was there was a life growing inside of her and that life would be important to whoever raised it.

She hesitated on weather or not she should tell Sam. He is the father after all and to keep him out of the decision making process would be unfair and she wanted her side to be clean. She hoped that he would be able to tell her what to do. Or at least just tell her that he will support her when she needed it.

The both of them ruled out abortion after they heard the heartbeat together. When Rachel went on her own she didn't register the baby growing inside of her. Sam being there with her made it a reality and instantly they fell in love with the tiny person growing inside of her. They had a choice to make either they give the baby up for adoption or they raise him/her. The problem with keeping the baby was they were just students. Students with no stable income. Meaning they couldn't care for their child and they had to decide.

She made up her mind the first time she felt him kick. She knew he belonged to her at that moment. She heard one of the girls she didn't like talk in her high pitch irritating voice and she felt him give a hard kick as if he knew his mother did not like this person. She went to Sam and told him about her decision at first he was hesitant to agree with her but then he realized that this was his child, his blood. This child belonged to him as much as it did to Rachel. This thought was reinforced when he found out they were having a boy. He secretly wanted a little girl but just knowing that this was a little boy and his baby made him love the child even more.

Their love for their son grew when he was born. When the doctor asked them what they wanted to name him Sam said; "Raphael Samuel Berry."

"No." Rachel said quickly. "Evans. His name is Raphael Samuel Evans." She looked over at Sam. "He will always be mine but one day if you and I move on and I bring another man into his life I want him to know that you will always be his father and so I want him to have your surname." Without knowing it Rachel made him so proud to be Rafe's father.

She looked at the house she bought. She knew her mother was in there with her little sister and her son. What if Rafe was Beth's age and Rachel discovered she had some rare illness. Would she fight to be there for her son? To see his first girlfriend? To see his wife? To hold her grandchildren? Or would she want to spare him the pain of watching his mother fighting for her life when she had a very slim chance of surviving? Would she be happy to die? What would Rafe want her to do? She knew she would fight to see all the big things happen in her son's life.

She walked through the door and immediately felt guilty because her son ran up to her with big eyes and hugged her legs.

"Where were you Momma? I was worried." She looked into his eyed and immediately she knew she wouldn't want to miss a single moment of his life.

"I'm sorry baby. I went to see Uncle Noah last night and fell asleep at his house. It won't happen again." She bent down and kissed him on his forehead and hugged him tightly.

"It's ok Momma as long as you come back." He hugged her back. "Please don't leave me."

"I promise you I will never leave you." She told him.

"Good." He squeezed her one last time before running to the kitchen to eat breakfast with Beth.

"Rachel can I talk to you?" Shelby asked her as soon as Rafe was out of sight.

"If this is about how you refuse to fight for your life and for the people who love you I don't want to know." She said stubbornly.

"It has something to do with that." She said softly. "I had a lot of time to think last night. I know why you want me to fight and I know why I didn't. Rachel… you and Beth and Rafe mean so much to me I just want you to be happy. I called my doctor and he told me that there is a treatment facility in Paris but I have to be there for a few months. Are you willing to take care of Beth until I come back?"

"I will take care of Beth for as long as you need me to as long as you come back." Rachel said with a smile. She was so grateful her mom decided to get better. "When are you going?"

"Next week." She answered. "I really do want to be there for every milestone in Beth's life. I want to be there for the great moments in her life." She put her hands on Rachel's shoulders. "I want to be there for your wedding day and the day you give me more grandchildren. I wasn't there for you Rachel but I want to make up for it by being there for you now."

She pulled Shelby closer and hugged her tightly "Thank you for doing this."

"If I send you tickets will you bring Beth and Rafe to come and visit me in Paris?"

"Yes I will." Rachel smiled at her mother. "Thank you so much. We should go tell Beth and Rafe."

"I already did. Rafe doesn't understand completely but Beth is happy that I am willing to take this chance."

"She is so smart for her age. And so understanding. What did you do to that child while you where raising her?" she joked and they both laughed. "Seriously though she is so smart for her age I don't think I know any other nine year old that could understand her mother leaving her for an indefinite amount of time."

"She knows I'm doing this to get better and she wants me to get better. I don't really want to leave her and she knows that."

"How about we take the special girl and my energy ball out for the day? I have to go to the studio for a bit but after that I was thinking we take them for lunch and a movie."

"That sounds great I want to spend as much time with them as I can." Shelby said and then she got an idea. "Would you like Noah to come with? I am sure he wants to spend time with Beth and Rafe and judging from who you ran to I am sure you want to spend time with him as well."

"Mom, please don't start with this." Rachel begged.

"I always did think you two were good together." Shelby said with a playful smile on her face.

"He is engaged. I'm too late. All I will ever be to him now is a friend." She said and with every word her heart broke a little.

"Sweetie he might be engaged but he is not married yet. You still have a chance with him."

"Mom he loved her enough to want to spend the rest of his life with her. He loved her enough to ask her to marry him. It's too late for me."

"Oh Rachel it's never too late unless you're dead." She kissed Rachel on the cheek and joined Rafe and Beth in the kitchen.

She pulled out her phone to call Noah but she got voice mail. "Hi Noah I'm sorry but I have to cancel Shelby and I have decided to spend time with Rafe and Beth today. If you want to hang out with them still I would like to invite you to dinner tonight. Maybe at seven thirty? Let me know."

All Noah Puckerman could think about for the rest of the day was the girl who shared a bed with him last night and even though their kiss didn't go as far as he would have liked it to go he still felt complete with just her in his arms. He loves the though of having her come home to him and though she wouldn't tell him what was wrong he wanted to solve her problems. He looked over at his desk to see a picture of him and Nicole. He was behind her kissing her cheek and her eyes were closed with a smile on her face. Next to that picture is a new one. It was of the day he went to the park with Rachel, Beth and Rafe. Rachel took the picture so she wasn't in it. Puck had Beth in his arms and she's giving him a huge smile, while Rafe is eating an ice cream his mouth covered in chocolate and melted ice cream running down his white shirt.

He let out a frustrated sigh why couldn't his life be simple. He does love Nicole but he wasn't so sure he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, at a time he believed he wanted to but now that his daughter is back in his life? He couldn't imagine not having children anymore not with the way Beth and Rafe makes him feel. He knew he was a family man from the beginning. He needed to see Nicole. If he sees her again he might not feel this way. That was it he made up his mind. He was flying out to go visit Nicole.

**So that's it for now. I'm struggling a bit with the next chapter so I'm not sure when that one will be done so please be patient. Also Sam is bring a girl home. Should I make her Quinn, Mercedes or an OC? Please feed my muse she's starving**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi hi I'm back and hopefully you enjoy this chapter. Thank you to the people who reviewed after making you guys wait so long I am really happy you guys are still reading this story.**

**Also I think I'm going to open a poll and will leave it open for a week or so it will be on who Sam should come back with. Please go vote or else I'll be stuck and it will be another 3 months before I update again. (Not a threat I'm blocked again).**

**I WILL NEVER OWN GLEE**

**Chapter 6**

Knowing that they have a guest for the night Shelby decided to get Rachel and go shopping something nice for Rachel to wear maybe. Especially since she has plans for her and their guest.

"Shelby I don't see why I need to get dressed all fancy." Rachel said as she looked at herself in the mirror at the store. It was a simple dress, pale pink that stopped mid thigh and it fit her perfectly. They bought her wedges of the same color. They went to the car and put the dress and shoes in it. Next they went grocery shopping.

"So do you think Beth and Rafe would be fine? I mean Beth has spend her entire life with you and Rafe… well he just got used to having you in his life." Rachel said as they walked through the isles looking at the food they wanted.

"Rachel are you ok?" Shelby asked.

"Yes I just feel like I'm contradicting myself. I want you to get better I just want you to get better here close to us." She said picking up the grapes.

"Sweetie only way I can get better is if I go. You don't have to worry about Rafe and Beth they will be fine. They have the best person to take care of them. Rachel you love Beth just as much as you love Rafe and while I'm gone I want you to treat Beth like she's yours." Shelby said as she forced Rachel to look at her. "I'm going to go pay for this and then taking you to coffee so we can talk about this. I don't know why but this conversation feels so public here even though the coffee shop is just as public it feels more private."

Rachel smiled at her mother. "Okay."

"So you want me to ground Beth when she does something she's not allowed to do?" Rachel asked once they were seated.

"I want you to treat her like she's your daughter. Be there for her as you are now but don't let her take advantage of you. If she does anything wrong punish her accordingly."

"I will do my best." Rachel said smiling.

Halfway through their slices of cake they were laughing when Shelby suddenly went quiet. She looked at Rachel with a serious look on her face. "I want you to be happy."

Rachel gave her mother a confused smile. "I am happy." She said shaking her head. "Why would you think I'm not happy?"

"Rachel I meant that I want you to be happy with someone, someone you can count on, someone to love you and be there for you and your son."

"That's not what I want right now. What's the most important in my life right now is my son, my sister, my mother getting better and my dance studio."

"Rachel your life can't revolve around us. I am so proud of you for putting others first but what's the use when you're not happy." She took Rachel's hand. "There's a reason why you ran to him when you needed comfort."

"Mom…"

"No Rachel listen to me. He loves you and you love him. And what you feel for him is not just going to go away. Don't sacrifice your happiness it will be the biggest mistake you ever make. You don't want to live your life with regrets. It's the worst feeling to look back on your life and think "What if?" I don't want that for you and I know you don't want that for you."

"He wouldn't have asked her to marry him if he didn't love her or think he could spend the rest of his life with her." Rachel said a hint of sadness in her voice.

"True but the way he looks at you speaks volumes. There is so much love there. I'm sure he could have spent his whole life with Nicole but he loves you so much. Give each other a chance give yourselves a chance."

"Can we just get through tonight's dinner?" Rachel asked not being able to talk to her mother about her and Noah.

"Okay."

"Let's pay and go. I still need to call my fathers." She said raising her hand to get their waiter's attention.

"Why?"

"You can't take care of Rafe and Beth anymore so I'm going to need someone to baby sit while I'm at the studio."

While they were in the car, Rachel looked at Shelby who had a strange smile on her face.

"What regrets do you have?" Rachel asked her thinking back to their conversation in the coffee shop.

"Why suddenly this question?" Shelby asked keeping her eyes on the road.

"When you were trying to convince me to star dating Noah you seemed to be speaking from experience. So are you going to tell me?"

Shelby was silent for a while. So long Rachel thought she wasn't going to answer.

"You."

"Me, what?" Rachel asked confused.

"You are my biggest regret."

"What?" she asked insulted.

"My biggest regret is not being there for you while you were growing up. I got to do so many things with Beth. I got to see so many of her firsts. Everything I never had the chance to do with you." Shelby took a breath. "So many days of my life I wished I could have been a bigger part of yours. I wish I could have the same memories with you that I had with Beth. It is so late to take back the choices I made and now all I can do is be a part of your life now and be there for when you need me. I love you so much Rachel."

"I love you, Mom. I am happy you made the choices you did. My fathers have given me a great life. I would have loved knowing you while I was growing up but my fathers have loved me with their whole hearts."

Noah Puckerman was late. He shouldn't have been because he had everything planned out. He was going to book his plane ticket to go visit Nicole. He was going to take a shower and ask Rachel after dinner if they could get a few minutes alone so he could tell her he was going to visit Nicole. His mind however was lost in the thought of Rachel. He thought about how they were in high school before high school and how they are now.

He walked up to Rachel's house the door was opened and inside he saw Shelby sitting on the couch with Rafe and Beth watching Toy Story.

He showed Shelby the bottle of wine he brought and she gestured towards the kitchen where Rachel was warming up the food.

_**Everybody's talking in words I don't understand**_

_**You've got to be the only one who knows just who I am**_

_**You're shining in the distance**_

_**I hope I can make it through**_

'_**Cause the only place that I want to be**_

_**Is right back home with you**_

As she sung the words he couldn't help but think of their prom. They danced on this song and at that moment he realized how much he love her.

Throughout dinner, all Noah could think about was how he was going to break the news to Rachel. Would she be disappointed? How would she react to it? All he could think about was her. Until he heard…

"I've moved up my flight. I'm leaving on Wednesday." Shelby said.

Noah looked up and then he looked at Beth. "You're leaving?" he said turning his attention back to Shelby.

"I have cancer and I have to have it taken care of. There is a treatment facility in Paris. Beth will be staying with Rachel until I return."

'Great' he thought sarcastically not only is he leaving Rachel so is her mother. How was he going to tell Rachel he is leaving now?

After dinner he got to be alone with her.

"I have to tell you something." He told her as they were sitting on the porch.

"Yes?"

"Last night I realized that my feelings for you have grown stronger since you returned and I need you to understand what I need to tell you."

"Wow this sounds serious."

"It is." He sighed. "I have decided to go visit Nicole for a week or so. The feelings I have for you have confused me. I need to go see her so I can understand what's happening."

Before Rachel could reply a car pulled up in front of the house. She turned her head to see more clearly a smile appeared on her face.

"Welcome back Sam." Sam smiled at her and walked around to the other side of the car opening the door and helping someone out. Rachel's smile dropped and was replaced by shock.

"Hello Rachel." Sam's guest said.

"What a great surprise Rachel said as she walked up to the woman and hugged her. "What are you doing here?"

"I hope this is a good surprise but Sam and I got married." Her smile big and she held out her hand to reveal her wedding ring.

**Dam dam daaaa. So I don't know who his wife is but you can help me decide by voting via poll or review.**

**I am so sorry it's so short but it is that way because I have no idea what happens next please feed my muse and give me ideas on what should happen in the next chapter via review or PM.**

**Song: James Morrison, You make it Real**


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